National Sports Museum set to receive $17.1 million upgrade

Australian football is set to be showcased in a whole new light after it was announced the National Sports Museum at the Melbourne Cricket Ground would undergo a multi-million dollar upgrade.

Football holds a special place in the museum and a new Hall of Fame section will help to tell its history to visitors from both home and abroad.

The Victorian Government will contribute $5 million to the overall $17.1 million upgrade to the attraction, which opened back in 2008.

MCC President Steven Smith revealed that over 140,00 people visited the museum annually and said he hoped the upgrade would encourage visitors to return time and time again.

“If the MCG is the home of Australian sport then the National Sports Museum is the heart of it,” Mr Smith said.

“Sport is about who we are as a nation. Everyone has a story and connection to sport and its pivotal role in Australia’s social, cultural and national identity. It’s part of our fabric.

“This upgrade will ensure a visit to the National Sports Museum is fun, exciting and interactive and offer a shared family experience that will encourage people to come back over and over again.

“The new-look National Sports Museum will be a leading-edge venue in the sporting and cultural landscape and we’re thrilled by the support from the State Government to ensure we create a vibrant and unique sporting experience for all visitors.”

The museum will closed later this year for renovations with an eye to re-opening in March 2020.